Iran hangs two convicted of links with Israel in pre-war protests: judiciary

Iran executed two men on Sunday convicted of acting on behalf of Israel and the United States during a wave of anti-government protests earlier this year, the judiciary said.

"Mohammad-Amin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast... were hanged after the case was reviewed and the final verdict was confirmed by the Supreme Court," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said.

The two men were involved in the anti-government protests that peaked in January, it added.

The demonstrations broke out in late December over rising living costs before spreading nationwide and evolving into anti-government protests that peaked on January 8 and 9.

Iranian authorities said the rallies began peaceful before turning into "foreign-instigated riots" involving killings and vandalism.

Iran has carried out multiple executions in recent days of people linked to the protests or opposition groups, including members of the banned People's Mujahedin (MEK).

The executions come against the backdrop of Iran's war with Israel and the United States, which erupted on February 28 with strikes that killed the Islamic republic's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

On Saturday, Iran executed two members of the MEK after four other convicted members of the group were put to death earlier in the week.

On Thursday, it also executed a man convicted of acting on behalf of Israel and the United States during the protests, following similar executions of three others last month.

Tehran has said more than 3,000 people were killed during the unrest, including members of the security forces and bystanders, attributing the violence to "terrorist acts".

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), however, said it had recorded more than 7,000 deaths, the vast majority of them protesters, adding that the toll could be higher.